


Only Student and Teacher

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: The Travel Collection: Drabbles, Snippets, and Supershorts [35]
Category: Highlander - All Media Types, NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, GFY, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-29
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2017-12-13 09:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/822605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So now what?"</p>
<p>"Now, I teach you the skills I've taught all my students, while we wait for an old friend of mine who has promised to meet me here."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not Lost

**Author's Note:**

> A NCIS Los Angeles and Highlander crossover, which ignores canon after the season 3 finale, and where Hetty is a very old Immortal and one of Methos' students. Callen is also an Immortal, and has his first death a some point after the season 3 finale (and assuming that events on screen were as they appeared, rather than as they are explained to be in the first episode of season 4).

It will be a difficult road for Callen to walk, but Hetty knows he can survive it. He is one of her best agents, and she knows him well enough for that. Although, in the end, her resignation is not because she lost him (she didn't; NCIS did), but so she can save him from a lifetime in prison, and set him on that road instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "road".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [The Ever-Changing Road](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/749674).


	2. Tropical Setting

"You didn't need to resign because of me, Hetty." Callen doesn't look over at the woman who'd shaped so much of his life, whether he had known at the time or not. He isn't sure he can do so, not quite yet. The ocean is far easier to watch, waves breaking over coral in the distance.

"I didn't need to shoot you, either." Hetty sounds no different than she ever has, but Callen still flinches at her words. It hadn't been an easy death, however quick, and despite the vague sense that he'd come back. "However, doing both simplified matters considerably."

"So now what?" Callen takes his gaze off the ocean finally, though he looks at Hetty out of the corner of his eye before turning to properly face her. He's never seen her dressed in anything quite so casual as she's wearing right now.

"Now, I teach you the skills I've taught all my students, while we wait for an old friend of mine who has promised to meet me here."

"Fighting with a sword." Callen remembers that part of the conversation with a man he'd killed. Twice. It had been the only reason he'd thought he might come back at all.

"Among other things, yes." Hetty regards him with a familiar, solemn expression that he's always considered her disappointed face. "I will not allow you to be killed in your first century because you neglect to learn about more than just weapons."

"Okay." Callen can understand that, though he's still not entirely certain he's wrapped his head around living even a normal lifespan, much less one that spans centuries. "And why are we here, again?"

Hetty's lips twitch a moment, and she turns to look out at the ocean herself. "I thought it would be appreciated by at least one person if you and Methos met in a more tropical setting this time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "cove".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [Ocean's Edge](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/749690).


	3. Purple

"I should tell you that you owe me a favor for this, Hetty." Methos sat down, sprawling on the beach chair next to his oldest student.

"But you won't." Hetty didn't even open her eyes, to all appearances merely soaking in the sun.

Opening his beer, Methos looked over at her suspiciously a moment, before raising an eyebrow at her drink. "Purple, Hetty?"

Hetty smiled, and reached over, picking it up to take a sip, still not opening her eyes. "My own special recipe."

"I should ask your former computer tech for it, then." Methos chuckled, leaning back after a sip of his beer. He didn't really think he'd get the recipe out of the young man Hetty had employed before she left NCIS, but it would be worth seeing the expression on his face to do so. "Or is he still one of yours?"

"They always remain mine." Hetty's glass clicked against the wood of the small table between them, and the only sounds for a long moment were the surf and the wind in the palms. Almost enough for Methos to fully relax. "What did you do to Mr. Callen this time?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "cove".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [Ocean's Edge](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/749690).


	4. Palm Tree

Callen is pretty sure he hates trees. He didn't always hate trees, and he could perhaps be convinced not to hate trees which grow in places other than the tropics, but he will harbor an undying dislike, at the very least, for palm trees.

And he will tell Hetty this just as soon as he gets himself down from the tree he's currently tied to. Upside down, because Methos is a perverse bastard who would prefer not to have to do a lot of work to train Callen in some things.

Letting himself drop back down to dangle from his still-bound ankle, Callen sighs, studying the scenery for a long moment before he pulls himself up, trying to keep himself up with one hand and his free leg while he struggles with the knot in the rope - on the side of the trunk where it's hard to see or reach, of course. At least falling won't kill him, once he gets himself free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "tree".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [Branching From the Center](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/1539051).


	5. Silence

"Hetty isn't missing." Eric doesn't even look up from his computer when Sam comes into the ops center. "And she's not dead. She just doesn't want to be disturbed." He knows where she is, and so does Nell, and they both know why. They also know who else is there, and why Hetty demanded their complete silence on where she is and how long she'll be gone.

"She's been gone ever since G's funeral." Sam doesn't leave, coming to hover over Eric's shoulder. "She resigned. Again."

"Yes, she did." Eric types one more thing into his computer, before locking it and turning around to face Sam. "Did you need anything, Sam?"

Sam gives him an impassive look that speaks volumes. Eric knows how intimidating Sam can be, and knows he's trying, but Hetty is more intimidating than Sam, and Eric isn't about to incur her wrath. Especially since he knows she's been around long enough to pick up some very scary ways of making him regret not listening to her.

"You could try looking for her yourself." Eric tries to flash a quick smile, but it dies before Sam's unimpressed look. "Seriously, Sam, Hetty's way scarier than you, and she would kill me if I told you guys where she is. If you want to find her, you're going to have to ask someone else."

"Fine. We will." Sam gives him a disappointed look before turning and leaving ops. Eric doesn't let himself relax yet, though. Kensi will be through, and Deeks, before they wait a while to try again - and hopefully try talking to someone else in the meantime. At least he knows Abby won't help them, but she's a Watcher, and therefor sworn not to interfere (never mind that she does, but Eric's not going to argue with her on that).

"She'll be fine, even if they do find her." Nell looks over from where she's been working, and they share a smile. Hetty will be fine, and so will Callen, and so will Methos. All they need to do is keep their promises, and let the rest take care of itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Missing".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [All of a Question](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/1680257).


	6. Seattle

It's cloudy, but not actively rainy when they land in Seattle, and Callen looks out at it with a grimace. Living in Bora Bora for the last fifteen months had skewed him even more toward a fondness for warm, sunny days. Autumn in Seattle is anything but, and after a moment, he shrugs, and turns to follow Hetty out of the plane. At least he doesn't have to deal with Methos at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Cloud".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [Storms and Sunsets](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/1848918).


	7. Old Tunnels

The wall of the tunnel is warm from the fire burning on the hearth on the far side, and Hetty leans against it, soaking in the heat with a silent sigh of relief. She can't stay here too long, even if they've stopped looking for her, though she's going to have to come out of the walls if she wants her sword back - and she isn't planning on leaving without it. Bloody mortals, go and piss off even her usually loyal servants, and now she has to leave this life rather a bit sooner than she'd intended. Drat it.

She hears the clatter of iron-soled boots, and scowls, pushing away from the warmth, and making her way further along the tunnel. At least they haven't done anything to destroy these old passages, even if they have managed to block a number of the exits she'd had created when the castle had been first built nearly three centuries ago. Now, all she needs to do is get to the armory, and retrieve her sword before stealing one of her own horses, and getting out of the castle.

Easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Hollow".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [Lost Deeps](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/2020100).


	8. Water Against Stone

Time wore at memories like water against stone, and even the best and worst of memories become faded. Old fabric, familiar and comfortable. Threadbare in spots, but still servicable, and isn't that what Hetty had told him about a lot of things?

Callen slouches against the porthole of the ship orbiting Earth, looking down at the blue and green of the planet he'd been born on. How long ago had it been? Too long, he thinks; certainly too long since he'd marked time by a calendar that might have some resemblance to Earth's.

The sharp shrill of the computer announcing he had a call waiting draws him away from his vigil, raising an eyebrow at the lack of ID.

"Answer, Sam." He knows his old partner isn't around to appreciate the irony of a ship named after him - the AI is even programmed to respond a lot like Sam would, at least when Callen is trying to hold something resembling a conversation to keep from going crazy in the dark of deep space.

"You should answer your own phone once in a while." The voice doesn't have Sam's voice, but that would be too weird, even for Callen.

"Yeah, but that's what I have you for." Callen smiles a moment, before leaning against the back of the pilot's crash couch, watching the communication screen. "Who told you I was back, Hetty?" he asks almost before the familiar worn face appears.

"Did someone need to tell me you had come home?" Hetty gives him her best innocent look, and Callen rolls his eyes. "Your ship reminds me a lot of an agent of mine, from quite a long time ago."

Callen quirks his lips in a wry smile, and shrugs. "I needed someone to talk to."

"Is that all I am? A voice to keep you sane in the dark? Come on, G." Sam sounds aggrieved, and Callen chuckles.

"You hear what I have to put up with?"

"I do believe you were the one to program him, weren't you, Callen?" Hetty smiles, amused, and leans back in her own chair. What he can see behind her looks almost institutional.

"Are you working for NCIS again?" Callen asks instead of answering her question. "Or whatever they're calling themselves these days."

"It's still NCIS, Callen." Hetty shakes her head, still visibly amused, if tempered by a bit of disappointment, the authenticity of which he can't be certain. "And no, I'm not working for them."

"Do I want to know?" Callen raises his eyebrows, curious despite himself.

"Only if you want to find yourself working for me again." Hetty gives him a deadpan look that doesn't give him any idea which way she'd rather he jump.

Callen tightens his hands around the edge of the crash couch a moment, contemplating the idea. He's been drifting since he'd left a colony that had needed a hand with law enforcement, however long ago that had been.

"I need to talk it over with Sam." He can see the approving glint in Hetty's eyes, and lets a small smile ghost across his face a moment. "I'll get back to you about that job offer tomorrow, if that's acceptable?"

"That will do nicely, Callen." Hetty pauses, leaning forward in her chair, her hand probably hovering over the end-call button. "And if you decide not to, I will expect you to come visit regardless."

"I promise, Hetty." Callen smiles again, and reaches to end the call on his end at the same time Hetty closes the link from hers.


End file.
